Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-06-16

on MIN, as q Tiger mig III Ou d laLuU' when
the aged priest had dressed his wound he
drew from his pocket large silver five
franc piece, carefully wrapped up In bit
of paper, and laid it on the mantleshelf.
II am not rich, and my poor are very
poor, doctor, ''said he, with an ineffable
smile; "excuse me if [ cannot more
adequately repay a consultation of DR..
Dupuytren. I am glad | came to see you;
at least, shall be prepared for what
awaits me. Perhaps" he added, in an
extremely soft tone. Of voice, "you might
have announced this great fact with a
little more caution. ] am rs years old,
and at that age life is sometimes dearly
cherished. But owe you no Ill will nor
have you surprised me. I have long look
ed forward to that event. Farewell,
doctor, I am going to die at my presby-
terry"
| And he went out.
Dupuytren stood pensive. That iron
soul, that powerful genius, had been shat
tered like frail glass at the sound of few
simple words from poor old man whom
he had held feeble and suffering in his
strong hands and thought he might play
with. In that weak and distressed body
he had met with q will more energetic
and heart firmer than his own; he had
| found being superior to himself.
| Suddenly Dupuytren started toward the
| door. He was, perhaps, unwilling as yet
to acknowledge himself beaten. The lit
tie priest was slowly descending the stair
case. ''Mister Abbe," he called out. twill
you step up moment?"
The priest FASTENED to obey.
'There is perhaps a means of saving
you, if you consent to an operation"
"Dear me, doctor, is there?" calculated
the priest, setting aside hurriedly his hat
and walking stick. "Why, I had no Other
| object in view in coming up to Paris.
Operate, doctor, operate as much as you
please"
"But the operation may prove not only
long and painful, but after all, useless
one"
"Never mind, doctor, ana willing to
endure anything. My poor parish1oner'
will be so gladn>
S'Well, in that case, yoa must go to the
ward of st. Agnes, at the Hotel Dieu hos
pital. The Sisters of Mercy will attend
to your wants and see that they are all
supplied. Take good rest Tonight, and
tomorrow morning''--
"All right, doctor; thank you"
/
! slip of paper and handed it to the priest,
who at once bent his steps in the direct
ion of the hospital.
On his arrival there nearly .he whole
community came out to receive and in
stall him in the ward of St. Agness. He
was given neat little bedstead, with
clean white sheets, and was overwhelmed
with pillows and sympathy. The little
priest was at loss to express his gratitude
at tie atten ton and kindness everybody
in the place showed kim.
On the following morning the-500 or600
students that daily follow the master
lessons had no sooner assembled than
Duputren arrived.
He straig htway se1ght the priests bed,
followed by his imposing retinue, and
the operation began.
DupOytren scooped out the wound and
sliced away with knife and scissors. He
sounded the sore again and again with his
steel pincers, and recovered the fbers,
| which he twisted and tied together. Then
| the saw was brought into action, and por-
tions of the lower maxillary bone was
rasped away. The operation lasted fully
| twenty minutes. Meanwhile, the priest
gave no sign of the excruciating torture
he must have endured. Painting with fear
or expectation, the whole gasping crowd
suddenly breathed more freely when Du-
puytren was heard to say:
"The operation is over"
Then only it was noticed that the priests
face was rather pale.
Dupuytren dressed the wound himself.
| Il think all Will now be well,n said he,
In friendly wsy. "Have yeu suffered
muchf"
81 tried to think of something elsc,"
answered the priest.
The patient socn fell into a doing
state. Dupuptren gazed at him for a
nom ent in the deep silence of all around
him; then the great surgeon gently slid
the white curtains of the couch along the
iron rods and continued his niRistrations
throughout the hospital.
The priest was saved.
Every morning, as soon as he arrived,
Dupuytren, by strange infraction of his
ordinary rule, walked past every other
bed and paid his first visit to his favorite
patient. Later on, when the latter was
able to get up, Dupgytren, as soon as his
clinical business was finished, would go
up TO the convalescent old man, take him
by the arm and slowly walk round with
him in the ward.
Those who knew with what hardness of
heart Dupuytren was ia the habit of treat
ing his patients were lost in conjectare at
the reason of this sudden change in his
conduct.
AS soon as the preist was able to under
take the journey he took leave of the
good sisters and the doctor, and went back
TO his village friends.
Not many months afterward Duputren,
on arriving one morning at the hospital
as usual, caught sight of the priest, who
was already there, as he advanced toward
the ward of st. Agnes. The priest still
wore his black suit, but it was smothered
in dust, and his buckled shoes were quite
white. He had evidently come long way
on foot. On his arm was stout willow
basket with its lids strongly strung down,
and from which issued stray bits of straw
Duruytren gave him the best of greeting,
and having assured himself that the results
of the operation had gone off well, inqui-
red of the old man what had brought him
to Paris again.
Doctor" replied the priest, "a twelve
month, day for day, has elapsed since you